OCCURRENCE OF PASTEURELLACEAE BACTERIA IN THE ORAL CAVITY OF THE TASMANIAN DEVIL (SARCOPHILUS HARRISII)

The occurrence of bacteria belonging to the family Pasteurellaceae in the oral cavity of captive Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) was investigated using phenotypic and subsequent genotypic characterization and phylogenetic analyses. A total of 62 bacterial isolates obtained from Tasmanian devils, tentatively classified with the family Pasteurellaceae, were further characterized by phylogenetic analysis of rpoB gene sequence similarity, which showed that the isolates investigated formed five distinct groups. A total of 15 strains formed a novel genus-like group within Pasteurellaceae. Thirty-six strains grouped with the type strain of Frederiksenia canicola. Five strains clustered with the type strain of Pasteurella multocida. Interestingly, four of the P. multocida-like strains were beta-hemolytic when incubated on blood agar, which is atypical for this genus. Five strains grouped with a 100% rpoB similarity with Pasteurella dagmatis. Finally, a single strain showed 97.1% resemblance to Haemophilus haemoglobinophilus. The results demonstrate that Tasmanian devils are hosting a variety of bacterial taxa affiliated with the family of Pasteurellaceae as part of their oral microflora.